Improvement in refrigerators



'1. GRAVENSTIN E. Improvement in Refriger ators- 07,864. i PatentedJune11,-1 872.

. I X\ I E V/T/YEJJEJ', 5 2 9 UNITED STATES Parent' .QFFICE.

JOHN GBAVENSTINE, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT !N REFRGERATORS,

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 122864, dated June 11, 1872.

Specification describin g Improvements in Refrigerators, invented by JOHN GRAVEN- STINE, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Improvements in Rfr 'gemtors.

My invention consists of certain improvements in refrigerators, fully described hereafter; the object of said improvcnents being to' insure in a closed or air-tight chest a thorough circulation of air in contact with the ice-box.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a sectional view of one end of a refrigeratingchest with my improvements; Fig. 2, a transverse section on the line 1 2, Fig. 1; and Fig. 3, a sectional plan on the line 3 4, Fig. 1.

In refrigerators, closed or air-tight, heretofore made, the ice-box with the casing surrounding the same and passages for the circulation of air have been arranged at about the center of the casing or casket, and extended downward from the top into the body of the latter. This arrangement, although advantageous for an upright refrigerating apparatus or corpse-preserving case, occupies too much room for a refrigerating-chest of ordinary size intended for domestic purposes, it being necessary in the latter, in order that there may be sufcient space for the meats and other provisions, to arrange the ice-box at one end of the chest. To 'accomplish this, however, and to obtain at the same time the circulation around the ice-box, requires a peculiar arrangement of parts and air-passages, which I will:

front end of the same a partition, D', secured to the sides of the chest. The ice-box thus arranged is removed a little distance from the top, sides, and 'end of the chest, so as to form between the same and the latter air-passages e, f, f', and g,- and between 'the front of the said chest and a partition, D', is a passage, h, and between the bottom of the same and the the narrow passages f, f', g, and h, being in `inmediate contact with the sides of the icebox, will become quickly cooled, and will descend into the 'space or passage t beneatl the said box, and pass thence through the opening 70 into the chest, and the 'warm air from the latter will pass through the opening j into the space e above the ice-box, and, becoming cooled, will descend, through all of the passages h, f', f', and g, into the bottom passage i, and pass from the latter into the chest through the opening 70. A constant circulation in the direction of the arrows is thus maintained in the chest and around the ice-box without the admission of any external air, andthis circulation will continue, but with decreasing rapidity, as the temperature within the chest approaches equalization. The passagee enables a current of air to be brought into contact with the top of the box, as well as with the sides of the same, thus facilitating the cooling of the air. The partition D' and passage' at the bottom of the box might be dispensed with,

and the cold air be permitted to descend from the side passages directly into the chest; but I prefer to employ the said partition, as it facilitates the cooling of the air, and also directs the latter through the opening j toward the main body of the chest, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1. The said partition D' may, if desired, be inclined downward toward its front end, for the purpose of thus facilitating the outward passage of the air.

I claim as my invention- In a closed or air-tight refrigerating-chest, the combination, substantially as described, of the air-passage e above the ice-box and airpassages extending round the sides ot the said box.

Iu testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

J OHN GRAVENSTINE.

Witnesses: e

WM. A. STEEL, JOHN K. RUPERTUs. 

